Current tap fitting



March 25, 1930. MjPRoPP 1,751,842

CURRENT TAP FITTING Filed July 28, 1925 Patented Mar. 25,1930

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE name mom, or nnw roux, 1v. Y., AssIeNon are THE 1:. non co.

on NEW YORK, N. 'Y., A. GORIORATION 01' NEW YORK CURRENT TAP FITTING Application filed July 28,

This invention relates to attachment fittings for electric circuits. More particularly the invention is directed to improved fittings which may be adapted to provide a quickdetachable circuit tapping means or circuit outlet, to form'an attachment plug having an outlet or receptacle portion, and for other like purposes. c I

Among the objects of the invention is the 1 provision of an improved fitting of the. character described comprising few parts, which is extremely simple in construction, cheap to manufacture, and practicaland eflicient to a high degree for the purposes described.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements and arrangement of parts Which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described and of which the scope of application will be indicated'in the following claims. In the accompanying drawing, in which is shown one of the various possible illustrative embodiments of this invention,

- Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a-fitting em- -bod g the invention;

l5 ig. 2 is a cross-sectional 2-2 in 1;

- Fig. 3 is a plan view of the fitting with the cover member removed to show the interior; Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on lines 44 in Fig. 3, the cover being shown in position; I i w Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the rear cover member;

Fi 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 66 in Fig. 7 and v Fig. 7 is an elevational view of an attachment plug having an outlet or receptacle portion embodying the invention. I

Referring in detail to the drawing, ,10 denotes a fitting embodying the invention adapted to form a quick-detachable, circuittapping means such as a flush receptacle, fixture socket outlet, portable .connecting outlet and the like. The fitting 10 may comprise a body portion ll'of anysuitable shape, preferably formed of insulating material such as view taken on line such blades to the contacti well understood- 1925. Serial No. 46,5.

porcelain, phenol condensate products, or other like suitable substances, metal current carrying portions 12, and a rear cover member 13 preferably formed of insulating material. The current-carrying. portions may be held against displacement within the body portion-'11 in any suitable manner, as by I meansof the said cover member 13 and screw 14' extending centrally through said body portion, said screw serving to releasably retain the parts of the fitting assembled, as shown in igs. land 4. The current carrying portions 12 are seen to comprise a plurality of spring contacting members 15, suitably constructed'to extend into sockets or passage openings 11 provided 1n the body portion 11. Each contact member extends only partially into the opening 11 up to a guard and guiding ledge 11 formed at the front or receiving end of said opening to eliminate possible short circuit or injury to persons handling the fitting. Said ledges 11 serve also to restrict the entrance of said openings to all but co-operatingly constructed terminal blades of another quick detachable fitting .(not shown) and to direct ng member 15,, as is provide stops or supports a of the members 15, as-shown These ledges also for the ends 15 in Fig.4.

For simplicity and cheapness each member 15 may preferably be-formed as a unitary in tegral structure having looped end 15 and 15". The end 15 is bent back to e tend inwardly from the entrance end of the opening 11 and, if desired, may be rovided with a protuberance 15 for release. ly engaging an opening in a co-operating terminal blade of an attachment plug, not shown. The other 9g looped end 15 may be made to provide a suitable ofi'set terminal binding means 15, such as the stamped spring tongue 16 which is adapted to engage with circult conductor wires 17 the. body portion 11 bein recessed at 11 to receive said means (see Figs.- 3 and 4) v To provide a through passage adj acent. said means for the wires 17 the body ortion is formed with ooves 11 depresse from the rearside ad acent the perimeter of the 1 ing body portion 11 and cutaway portion 11 adjacent to said grooves as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

The body portion 11 may also be recessed to receive the flat cover member 13 so as to space the wires 17 from the rear side of said body portion, as shown in Fig. 2.

In using the invention, the insulation is removed from the conductor wires'17, as at 17 a and the bare wire engaged with the terminal binding means 15 of the member 15. The latter are then inserted into the openings 11, the cover member 13 positioned over the rear side of the body portion 11 and the screw 14 fastened to retain said cover members and body firmly together. The cover member 13 is preferably made of a sheet of insulating material,-such as fibre, which is very. cheap and forms a closure means which is practical to a high degree. Said cover member may be provided with peripheral extensions 13, 13" which are adapted tofit in corresponding recesses in the rear side of the body portion 11, the extensions 13 servas a closure for the rear side of said cutaway portions 11 through which conductor wires 17 pass and also preventing relative rotary movement between the member 13 and said body portion. I

' In Fig. 6 is shown an adaptation of the invention in the form of an attachment plug having an outletor receptacle. portion. In this form the current carrying portion 32 may comprise terminal blades 40, extending outwardly through the cover member 33. The spring contact member 35 of said ourrent-carrying portion may be similar in construction to the spring contact members 15 shown in Fig. 4 with the exception that each offset terminal end 35 of the member 34 is rigidly connected'with a flat extension 40 of blade 40. Suitable means such as an eyelet fastener 41 may be provided for securing said extension 40 to the oifset end 35 said fasteners serving as terminal posts for the conductor wire connection.

The conductor wires 17 may be,soldered to said terminal posts or other attachment means of well known construction and may be provided in place of the eyelet form shown in Fig. 4 and described above.

It will thus be seen that there is provided a device in which the several objects of this invention are achieved and which is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and as various changes might be made in the embo'diment above set forth, it is to beunderstood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawing is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I

foot extending into said tion having a recess formed in an. end there of, said body having passages leading from said recess therethrough, contact members mounted in each of said passages, each of said contact members having an inturned recess, conductor blades projecting from said insulating body portion, each of said conductor blades having an inturned foot in engagement with the foot of a contact member, conductor wires engaging the feet of said contact members, and an apertured insulation cover engaging the feet of said conductor blades for holding said contact members and conductor blades in position, said conductor blades passing through the apertures in said cover member.

2. An attachment fitting of the character described comprising an insulating body portion having a recess formed in an end thereof, said body having passages leading from said recess therethrough, contact members mounted in each of said passages, each of said contact members having an inturned foot extending into said recess, conductor blades projecting from said insulating body portion, each of said conductor blades having an inturned foot in engagement with the footof a contact member, conductor wires engaging the feet of-said contact members,

and an apertured insulation cover engaging having ex- 

